Of Assassins and Apples
by Realm-Leaper
Summary: One and two-shots featuring Obi and the gang, but mostly Obi and his angst.
1. Beginnings

**Hello everyone! This is going to be a series of one or two-shots surrounding Obi. It will feature other characters, but mostly just Obi, because he's my precious little adorable baby. Plus he's super angsty sometimes, and I love angst.**

 **A/N: This is a friendship fic! No yaoi whatsoever!**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

Title: Beginnings

Zen had been wondering for a while now where, exactly, his new messenger came from. He'd been with them for a week now, and all the Second Prince had learned about Obi was his name and former occupation.

That wasn't exactly great to go off of when nobles asked him where he found such a skilled warrior - such a skilled weapon. Zen wanted something to prove to them - to _himself_ \- that Obi wasn't just a weapon with the gift of a name. That he was human, that he cared.

That he wanted to be here.

So one day, when they were training and Mitsuhide was off dealing with some paperwork and Kiki was cleaning her own sword on the far side of the ring, he sprung the question.

"Obi, where are you from?"

Obi froze, wooden practice sword dropping to brush the tip on the ground. He tilted his head to the side, studying Zen for a moment. Suddenly Zen felt as if all his life motivations, dreams, and hopes were being scrutinized in order to see if he was trustworthy.

Obi averted his eyes.

"I wonder, Master..."

Zen's eyes widened, the reply clicking into place. "You - you don't know?"

The ex-assassin's mouth twisted into a wry grin, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Why, Master? Would you like to meet my parents? Or perhaps see the streets where I grew up?"

Zen flushed, and looked away. "No! I was just wondering, that's all!"

 _The streets where I grew up._ Did Obi mean that literally, or not? Zen sighed. One could never tell with Obi. Half-truths and self-depreciating riddles were all you would get if you poked to far.

What would happen if Zen pushed until he snapped? Would he attack? Run? Spill his entire story? Or simply refuse to tell at all?

"...But then, I suppose I don't really remember them, Master, so you'll have to do without."

Zen's head snapped up. "You don't remember - did you literally mean the streets?"

Obi raised a brow, eyes darkening with a challenge at Zen's tone. _Curse me, break me, burn me, but don't manipulate me._ "Yes. I did. Not everyone has pleasure like you do, Master. Some are born to fight and claw and kill."

Zen's eyes great as wide at saucers. "You - You can't mean that. No one is _born_ to kill."

Obi nodded, not meeting his eyes. "True. But they are raised to." He lifted his eyes, golden orbs serious. "Never forget that, Master. Not all of us are what we seen - in the underground, we had one purpose - to kill and then disappear like we'd never been there. Every master we serve is different, but they're all the same in what they want."

 _I have killed people._ Zen heard the unspoken message in Obi's voice. _I have been passed around like an animal in a cart, used and driven until my legs give out and I fall. Then they let me rest for a day, and use me again._

"Obi - " Zen ground out, reaching out to touch him. Obi stiffened, and shied away, eyes wary. Zen dropped his hand. "I'm sorry."

 _Are you?_ Obi's eyes asked.

Zen nodded. "I am."

The other boy stared at him for a moment, and then turned and set off toward the trees. A few moments later, he was upon the rooftop - safe, where no one could make him question who he was and _what_ he was.

Zen watched him go, a sudden sadness at the world that could take such a funny, smiling, happy boy and turn him into a weapon of war and messenger of death.

"I am sorry." He whispered.

 _I know,_ the wind blew.


	2. Dangerous Friends

**I return! For a little while, at least. Anyhow, on to the good stuff. I've always loved "parental" fics, from Zuko and Hakoda(A:TLA) to Edward and Roy(FMA). So today we're going to delve into Mukaze's character. I always thought that he and Obi should have had some sort of confrontation after Shirayuki's rescue, considering Obi's obsession with finding her, Zen's love, his team's opinion of Obi's skills and mannerisms(I'm pretty sure they referred to him as demon once, or implied it). Not to mention Mukaze is technically an outlaw, so I think he'd naturally be wary about anyone with Obi's "occupation" that is hanging around his daughter. I sure would be!**

 **Anyhow, on to the story.**

Mukaze doesn't know what to think of the prince and his company. Correction-he doesn't know what to think of a certain member of the prince's company-a certain dark-haired assassin that has to much intelligence and skill to be comfortable with in this small tight-knit group of bandits. The kind of man that if you saw him in a bar, you'd instantly avoid.

So naturally, Mukaze seeks him out after all is said and done with the prince and his daughter. For having a prince for company was one thing, but befriending an assassin was another, and Mukaze was anything if not careful when it came to his precious daughter's safety. He'd given her up for that fact, hadn't he? No danger was going to be near his daughter if he had a say about it.

He found the boy crouched on the railing of one of the cabins, glass dangling from one hand and a blade tucked between the two fingers of his left hand, glimmering in the moonlight. He looks odd, crouching in the darkness, like he should belong there but has been thrust into the light so many times recently now he has become a little softer against the harsh background of the night sky.

"General." The boy says in a soft whisper. "I did not expect you to take so long." Obi turns his head so he can see Mukaze- _never, never let a threat stay unseen_ -eyes glinting the soft moonlight. A smirk is tugging at his lips, pulling up the brittle edges of his mask. Mukaze ignores it, and goes directly for the hit.

"You are a dangerous person, sir knight." Mukaze lets his coat fall back from his waist, exposing the sharp outline of a dagger there as he leans against the railing Obi is perched on. He doesn't miss the way Obi's eyes drift down to his boots and snap back up, either.

"I am." He says. "I'm guessing this conversation has something to do with my connection with Miss?"

 _There._ There's the hard edge in his voice, the tell-tale sign of a mask being broken. Mukaze seizes the opportunity.

"I've met many men like you in my life," the old general says, "and none of them died well."

Obi grins, canines poking through his lips. "You're worried I'll contaminate Miss." He replies teasingly.

"Yes." Mukaze says bluntly. "I'm worried my daughter will let out to much of her good heart and waste it on a scoundrel who'll only end up hurting her-whether it be intentional or not."

Obi sets his glass down, still half full and sheathes his knife. "Well." He breathes, still not looking into Mukaze's eyes. "I can swear to you this-Miss will _never_ be hurt again while I am with her." His voice tapers down into a growl at the end, self-loathing twisting into his voice and choking his words off.

Glittering gold meet muted green, something fierce and wild holding them locked together.

"I swear on my life." Obi says.

Mukaze sees the slight tremble in his hands, the odd pitch of his voice, the way he forces himself to stay still and not reach for his knives-and nods once. There's no trust in the gesture, just knowledge, knowledge that this boy-this very hurt, very broken boy-would give his life for a girl he hardly knew without a second thought. And for Mukaze, that is enough.

* * *

 **Okay! You have no idea how hard this chapter was for me to write. I re-wrote it like five times, trying to get it the way I wanted and still have the characters not crazy out of character. But here it is, and honestly I love the way it turned out. There will probably be a second part to this piece, since it was pretty short, but I ran out of inspiration to make this part any longer.**

 **Also! I am willing to accept prompts! Pretty much anything except sexual situations or yaoi, I don't write either of those.(I'm fine with writing kisses though, we all need a few good Obiyuki kisses XD)From fluff to angst to drama to slice of life... it can be anything. So if you have a certain prompt you'd love to see me do my version of, or something I've hinted at in the past few chapters that you want more of, PM me! I can only take a few at a time, otherwise school will kill me and so will my parents for having terrible grades. XD But I'd be happy to try my hand at some.**

 **Don't forget to R &R!**

 **~Realm-Leaper**


End file.
